Meant to Be: If the Shoe Fits | 
pickWhile this was an amazing book, calling it a Cinderella retelling is a bit of a stretch. Sure, the beginning and ending go pretty well, but the middle had almost no ties to Cinderella. I loved that Cindy actually had a good relationship with her step mom and sisters. I wish that Jay had been in it a little more! 5🌟
pickThis was fun! It kind of felt more like a self-discovery novel than a strict romance, but Cindy and Henry had the BEST chemistry, so I'll allow it. And I loved the updates to Lady Tremaine and the stepsisters! Murphy really thought about her storytelling here. #contemporaryromance #retelling
pickI hate that this book was on my TBR for so long because I really enjoyed it. This was such a cute read and I definitely can‘t wait to read the other books in the Meant To Be series! Each book in the series is a retelling of a fairytale and I love that! This one was a retelling of Cinderella.
pickA sweet romance with a nostalgic vibe, probably a good pick for fans of UnReal (I‘m guessing, I only ever saw half of the pilot episode) and people with fond memories of watching Disney‘s Cinderella as a kid. If you get a kick out of hate-watching The Bachelor and critiquing the patriarchal messaging, you‘ll probably enjoy it, too. Full review here: https://keepingupwiththepenguins.com/if-the-shoe-fits-julie-murphy/
pickI honestly wasn't expecting to like this one as much as I did. I was on the mood for something light and fluffy and this hit the spot. This was so cute. I feel like it ended too soon, I would have loved more to the story. I loved it.
pickDrowning my sorrows in a romance book. Chubby girl finds love on a dating show after realizing the suitor was a charming stranger she met on a plane a few days before. A Cinderella story, but I liked how the stepmom and stepsisters weren‘t actually mean. Also, the ended gave me “Colton jumping over the fence on the Batchelor” vibes
pickFun twist to the Cinderella story.
pickA heart-warming re-telling of Cinderella full of reality tv-show drama. Cindy, a recent fashion school graduate, returns home to her stepmother and stepsisters to figure out her next career steps. An unexpected contestant vacancy on the reality show Before Midnight, which is run by her stepmother, results in Cindy being added to the roster. I enjoyed every single nod to Disney‘s Cinderella. The body positivity added to the magic of the story.
so-so⭐️⭐️💫This is-very lightly-Cinderella inspired. The nods were cute, but also rare, so that was lacking a bit for me.This was a cute Bachelor-esque story, tho the ending felt super rushed, which dropped it down a bit. I liked Cindy‘s confidence, and I appreciated that we didn‘t have to watch her stepmom & sisters bully her - I hate that part of the Cinderella story, and I was glad Murphy chose to leave that out.
Do you think we‘ll read any books at Disney World? No.
Did the 3 year old & me still bring our piles? 100%
(Pray for me, y‘all. It‘s so hot 🤪)
#tbr #vacationtbr
pickAnd I actually finished my #bookspin book this month! Such a fun book too - a modern day Cinderella story set on a reality dating show…. Oh and she‘s not some skinny something either. I needed this! #bookspinbingo now I can make my June list! lol
pickFun, flirty and featuring a plus size woman. I really enjoyed this.
pickFun romcom with some quirky nods to the Cinderella fairy tale. I loved the body positivity and the strong (and so lovable) female heroine. I was rooting for her the whole time. The insights into the worlds of fashion and reality tv were fascinating. The ending was a bit different than I expected, which was a refreshing surprise.
#FairyTaleReadingChallenge #Cinderella @Charityann
I almost never pause mid-book, but this last week has been rough and I need something light and fluffy. Two chapters in and I think it's going to be a nice distraction.
pick⭐⭐⭐+
This was a lot of fun! I'm not a "retellings" fan, but the premises of this book sounded good and I was in the mood for something sweet and with a solid happy ending!
This was my #doublespin for December @TheAromaofBooks and I think I'm all done for my 2021 spins/doublespins. Thanks again for organizing this game every month ??
Busy day ahead, so I'm squeezing some reading time into breakfast ☕🍩💕
Have a nice day, Littens!
pickThis year I started a new job so my reading goal was 50 books for the year. Thankful this book was an easy, light read as I finished it in 24 hours and met my 50 book goal for 2021! Great #chicklit from the woman who created ‘Dumplin‘, a hit movie on Netflix.
This was delightful! Loved it so much! I stayed up past midnight to finish it. #tbr #wintergames2021 #mistletoemaniacs @Clwojick
Starting this one next! Working towards a 3rd #bookspinbingo #ouabc #ouabcvip #wintergames2021 #mistletoemaniacs @Clwojick
pickA cute Cinderella retelling meet the bachelor with body positivity. I loved that she didn‘t belittle Cindy‘s body and long for something different
What better place to read a Cinderella #retelling?! 👠
pick4/5
This is such a cute Cinderella retelling set on a Bachelor-esque reality dating show. Cindy just graduated from design school and isn't sure where to go next with her life, when she and her step-sisters get an opportunity to be on the reality dating show Cindy's step-mother produces.
It's a super sweet romance, and I loved that neither Cindy's step-mother nor her step-sisters were evil in this retelling.
pickHaven't read a Julie Murphy yet that I didn't fall in swoon with. I do say this splash into the adult market is perfect for the readers who enjoyed Disney growing up and will see so many mixed Cinderella vibes in the novel. Assuming the series will be stand-alone titles (by varying authors?) but grouped as reimagined fairy tales, maybe. Anyway read 90% in one sitting and had I not had to be at work would have finished it, it's that good!
pick5 🌟
A quick, inclusive read. This book is the typical modern romance with the twist of inclusiveness. A plus size female lead character and a side cast of characters with different sexualities, orientations, ethnicities and careers. I enjoyed this book immensely!
pickThis is a modern take on Cinderella. The parts of the original story that I disliked (women vs women) are not as prevalent in this heartwarming tale. It is an empowering story about body positivity, nontraditional families, gender fluidity, LGBTQ+ relationships, & female empowerment. Also, the writing is quirky, quippy, & honest. I laughed, finger snapped & sniffled. If you are in need of a pick-me-up, choose this book and see if the shoe fits.
One and a half more days until the big event I‘ve been planning is in the rear view mirror. In the mean time, I‘m grasping for my quiet, wind down nights. Loving the background Hogwarts Ambience YouTube videos, and this book is surprisingly good!
pickAll✨ I devoured this book! It was so engaging, the characters were relatable, and the reality tv show plot line was fun! Cindy made this book. I loved everything about her. I can‘t really express much more than that without spoilers. So good! #onceuponabookclub
Currently devouring! Be back in a bit with my review. 🤩🥰 #onceuponabookclub
I‘ve been dying to read this since I opened it in my #onceuponabookclub box. So hooked already! I absolutely adore Cindy‘s character and this plot line. 😍
pick4 ⭐
Love a good Cinderella story? Then you need to pick up this book. Cindy is a plus sized wonder who loves shoes but has not had it easy since her father died. There is no wicked stepmother in this story. In Fact the Stepmother is pretty awesome. There are a few issues between her and Cindy, but they are made more by Cindy, or by stepmom not wanting to treat her plus sized stepdaughter any differently than her own children. ⬇
pickThis was super cute. Cindy was very relatable and real.
September Book 20/25 #LitsyLove #bookspinbingo
pickI‘ve been having a tough time reading lately and have had a string of 2-star reads; but this one was cute and satisfying (if a bit predictable, but that is to be expected from this genre). ⭐️⭐️⭐️
pickSigh… this is a pick despite myself. Not my usual genre, at times I found the narrator overly gushy/dramatic, and there were a couple of decisions characters made at the end that I wasn‘t sure I really understood/bought, but I also found it engrossing and hard to put down, and if that doesn‘t get a pick, I don‘t know what does. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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I loved this book its a great Rom Com
This autor is easily going to be my new favorite
Gotta check it out 😁
so-soThis was cute, but just ok. I do like that it‘s a Cinderella story with a good relationship with the stepmom and stepsisters. However our hero is bland, there is no steam and this has a more YA feeling. This is the authors first adult book. I would put this more in the chick-lit shelf then romance. Easy light read though. #bookspin read done!
Forgot to post my reading plans for September! I'm doing a buddy read of If The Shoe Fits with @Tattooedteacher and also doing read alongs for Fellowship of the Ring and the Broken Earth trilogy with beautifullybookishbethany on YouTube! This is my first time reading the LotR trilogy after loving the movies for years. I'm excited to start it and I have the audiobooks read by Andy Serkis preordered on Audible!
so-soDon‘t get me wrong, premise was wonderful. But didn‘t stand up to its hype. Felt like it was forcing itself to much to be Cinderella. Might‘ve been better as a simple meet cute the whole way. Might also be just that I don‘t care for dating game shows at all. Do not understand them at all. Did love everything about Cindy; choosing her joy over everything. Wish for more female camaraderie, since convos were really only about the suitor
#ouabc
This does not feel like a Cinderella story. Not in any way expected, at least. On basic terms maybe, but I don‘t think I‘d ever come up making the connection myself. I do love the sisters camaraderie between them, same for the stepmom. I think they would‘ve been better without that expectation over the stories head. I do like Cindy a lot, for going after her dream of fashioning shoes. Fashion is still not my thing thou
#onceuponabookclub #ouabc
Please accept this scroll 📜 and join us next Saturday for a Chapter 11-20 discussion. Anyone is welcome to join.
“Fitting” seems to be a theme that runs through the story. Fashion, family... where have you noticed “fitting” as a recurring theme? #septbuddyread
Ok let‘s talk about the elephant in the room: reality TV. It‘s a fun and modern spin on a prince searching for his princess in the original Cinderella. Cindy shares the behind the scenes actions and decisions that producers make on reality shows. What are your thoughts about reality TV? How “reality” are they? #septbuddyread
Cindy refers to her friends at school as her chosen family. What are your thoughts relating to the theme of friendships vs family in the book so far? #septbuddyread
Murphy begins the story with a prologue showing Cindy as a young girl. How did that impact the way you viewed Cindy as an adult? Could Murphy have started the story without it? #septbuddyread
I‘ve been holding onto this a while, but finally had time to open it. My next #onceuponabookclub box. I‘m really excited to get reading!
“Chick lit” is not a favorite genre of mine, but I wanted to try the Once Upon A Book Club Box so I‘m giving it a go. Here is the newest arrival. A retelling of Cinderella with a body-positivity focus. I dig the idea. Let‘s see if the writing is a hit or a miss. #onceuponabookclub
Called it! I guessed the correct book off the hint. I am intrigued by the premise of a Disney retelling - which is important to note that the book was published with Disney
Otherwise, the story goes with Cindy loving fashion finding herself with her stepmother. When the steps dating show needs a spot filled last second, she becomes a body positivity icon overnight. But does she stand a chance with Prince Charming? #ouabc #onceuponabookclub
